If you haven't heard my new book, Doodles Unleashed is officially being released at CHA tradeshow in Anaheim this weekend! Come find me traveling through the show floor and get a FREE signed copy. I'll be visiting some of my artsy friends, favorite manufacturers, doing a few book signings and creating make-n-take projects.

Here's my schedule..I will make surprise appearances at different booths and tweet, post on Facebook and Instagram {@treicdesigns}...the first few people to show up where I am at the show floor will recieve a special giveaway. Check the show map for booth numbers. Don't worry if you are not attending CHA, I'll do a special giveaway for those who are following along.

Part two of Stylized Faces takes the paintings created in the previous weeks and focuses on how to create stylized faces building layers of collage, doodling and personal graffiti into the painting. I share doodling techniques using watercolor crayons, pens, color pencils and collage.Mixed media techniques covered: doodling with a brushcollagelayered graffiti lettersintro to drawing facesdoodling with dimensional paintpainting with found tools

Thank you to everyone who joined in the workshop..we have over 3300 students sharing their creative spirit in the classroom. It has been my pleasure to share a little of my creative world with you all and inspire you to create art and be FREE! I wish you a creative 2012 and days filled with lots of paint and doodling.

The workshop videos are available until August 2012. Remember it's FREE..watch a preview video here and sign up anytime!

P.S. my new book Doodles Unleashed started shipping last week!! whoohoo...so excited to share more about it with you. I'm in the midst of planning my book blog tour in February and book launch parties at CHA in Anaheim and the Bay Area..stay tuned!

Just because..I want to spread the creative love..I'm giving away one signed copy of my new book Doodles Unleashed and collage kit!

Head on over to my Facebook fan page and leave a comment on the book photo with a doodling creative promptby SUNDAY 1/22 at11:59pm PT. {NOTE: comment must be left on the book photo to be eligible}. I'll announce the winner on Monday. :)

p.s. You can purchase a special autographed Doodles UNLEASHED book here. The signed copy comes with a limited edition book plate, two collage sheets and a set of sticker tape sheets!

Here's a colorful art journal background with a winter palette including shades of blue with a little pop of bright red and fuchsia color. Paint your favorite winter colors in your journal!

ART JOURNAL technique: TRANSPARENCY monoprints

To create this background roll out turquoise paint onto a transparency with a soft rubber brayer then doodle over it with White Tulip Slick dimensional paint. {TIP} work fast because the paint dries quickly. You can also mix a little Acrylic Glazing Liquid to extend the drying time of your paint. Place the painted side of the transparency onto a piece of black construction paper, rub it lightly to transfer the paint then scratch marks into it with the back of the transparency with the end of a paint brush and skewer. Let dry. Apply paint with a foam brush to handmade stamps and found tools press onto the background then repeat stamp patterns.

Digital Art Journaling technique {top photo}---> Leverage your art to create a digital journal image. Take a photo or scan the art journal page, then import it into your favorite photo altering program. The photo above was imported into Photoshop CS5. A layer of text "Winter Wonder" is placed over the photo then I added snowflake and flower doodles drawing with my Wacom Pen Tablet. Explore more digital art journaling techniques in my new book Doodles Unleashed.

I created a color palette and patterns using colourlovers from a photo of my art journal background. click here to download a 1600px version of my winter wonder stripes.arrows.zigzag pattern above {right click & save image as}. visit my colourlovers profile to see my collection of palettes and patterns.

Stylized faces part one: colorful backgroundsThe focus of this lesson is preparing backgrounds and collage paper for a mixed media painting using different mediums. We start with graffiti layered letters then paint a colorful painted background using found tools. There is also a bonus lesson that teaches how to create a doodle collage paper to prepare for creating stylized faces next week.

Mixed media techniques covered: doodling with a brushprinting with handmade stampslayered personal graffitipainting with found tools

Find inspiration in everyday life...take photos of things that you encounter during your day. My photos create a visual story of the things that inspire me. With my iPhone in hand, I take numerous snapshots everyday...some end up on my blog, others inside my art journal and some are creative inspiration for my artwork. Look at your surroundings with "new eyes".

what calls to you when you take a walk, visit your favorite store or explore your favorite town?

for me it's..the cracks in the sidewalk, the graffiti on store buildings in downtown, colorful plants in my garden, shadows on the floor, reflections or the view outside my window.

take notes. record your thoughts. make a doodle.

here are a few of my recent inspiration photos from my daily musings...enjoy!

where do you find your inspriation?

capture it in photos. create a visual diary.

here are creative art journal jumpstarts using photos...

use your photos to inspire your doodles and mark-making in your journal.

Lesson two for my Doodles Unleashed online workshop sponsored by Strathmore Artist Papers is LIVE today! Lesson TWO is all about SPONTANEOUS watercolor backgrounds...creating colorful vibrant artwork and exploring mark-making. Experiment with layering different water soluble mediums, scribbles with markers and making marks with crayons on 400 series Strathmore Mixed Media paper! These large painted papers can be used as backgrounds for your doodles, paintings, pages in a art journal, ATCs and more! the paintbrush dances accross the page----> Enjoy the process and BE FREE... We have almost 3000 students in the classroom...there has been an AMAZING response to the first week and LOVELY and vibrant artwork shared by my students. Check out the gallery of student work!

You can still for FREE! Watch the preview video here. We have three more weeks of creative and colorful fun..Join in the creative journey! xo~treiC

After many months of brainstorming, planning and creating...this month I will be launching my new website & digital store! I have been working long hours [in between all my other deadlines} redesigning my treiC designs website to transform it into an all new DIGITAL BOUTIQUE. Throughout 2012, I will be launching NEW digital art journaling kits, printables, video workshops and e-courses. I'm super exited to share it with you! here's a little sneak peek...

.PR + disclosure.

unless otherwise stated all content, images and texts are my own. please do not use anything without permission or without noting its origins on your blog or website. if you pin any images from this site please include the original source/photo credit. for more details please read the disclaimer.